Legal Defense for Self Defense®
U.S. LawShield®, industry leader and America’s largest provider of Legal Defense for Self Defense® coverage, offers Texas License to Carry holders handgun carrying and safety tips during the Halloween season.
Carrying on Halloween
“We receive a lot of questions from Texas License to Carry (LTC) holders during the Halloween season asking if there are special rules they should know about carrying their firearms,” said P.J. Hermosa, CEO of U.S. LawShield. “Costume parties and trick-or-treating are fun for people of all ages, and even though October 31 is treated the same as any other day on the calendar, folks need to understand the rules surrounding how and where they can carry,” he said.
According to Hermosa, “Our tips for Texas LTC holders should come as no surprise to law-abiding gun owners, but the following reminders are useful as people travel out and about with open or concealed handguns during this time of year.”
- Private Property: LTC holders in Texas may carry openly in a belt or shoulder holster or carry concealed anywhere on their person so long as they possess a valid License to Carry. However, if LTC holders plan to take their children door to door, their openly carried or concealed handgun may be unwelcome. Homeowners have the right to prohibit people from carrying on their private property. And if asked to leave, you must do so immediately.
- School Events: The fall season brings festive school events such as harvest festivals, pumpkin patches, and trunk-or-treats. When attending these, it is best to learn in advance who the sponsor is. If it’s a school-sponsored activity, you cannot bring your firearm into the area where the activity is taking place. Remember that the areas you cannot carry may include areas you would typically be allowed to carry, such as the school parking lot. When attending a school-sponsored activity, consider securely stowing your concealed handgun in a locked vehicle.
- Pay Attention to Signage: Try to learn in advance if your destination prohibits firearms. Even if you’re not going to a school-sponsored event, keep an eye out for any signage that may indicate firearms are forbidden. When you know before you go, you can choose to leave your handgun at home or concealed in your locked vehicle. Be on the lookout for 30.06 or 30.07 signs posted at amusement parks and 51% signs posted at bars.
- Do Not Carry While Intoxicated: It is illegal to carry a firearm in Texas when intoxicated. Doing so could land you in jail, and an orange jumpsuit probably isn’t the costume you had in mind to celebrate Halloween.
Frightening Numbers
“Unfortunately, over the last 20 years, Halloween has consistently been one of the deadliest nights of the year. Combine the typical daily incidents of drinking while driving with everyday property crimes plus estimates that 70% of parents do not accompany their children while trick-or-treating, and the statistics for Halloween are scary,” said Hermosa.
- People aged 18 and under are involved in an average of 130% more fatal automobile crashes on Halloween night than on any other night of the year.
- Pedestrians of all ages are 56% more likely to be killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
- Property crimes are 24% higher on Halloween.
- The most popular time for trick-or-treating is from 6-10 PM—which happens to be the peak time frame for violent crimes.
Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips
“Whether you’re hosting a spooky costume party or preparing to go trick-or-treating with your family, U.S. LawShield wants to help you be as prepared and responsible as possible,” Hermosa stated.
Safety Tips for Kids
- Adult Supervision – All children aged 13 and under should be accompanied by an adult when trick-or-treating. Older kids without an adult should be in groups of three or more.
- Create a Route – Only trick-or-treat in familiar neighborhoods and at houses with porch lights on. Be aware of and avoid the addresses of local sex offenders.
- Street Smart – Walk only on sidewalks, and cross streets only at crosswalks or corners. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing to help prevent accidents. Take extra caution with costume masks, as they greatly reduce a child’s ability to see their surroundings.
- High Visibility – Carry glow sticks or flashlights when out after dark, and avoid wearing dark-colored costumes or those that aren’t reflective.
- Treat Smart – Check your kids’ candy! The CDC Halloween Safety Guide highly recommends throwing away any unwrapped or unsealed pieces.
Safety Tips for Gun Owners
- It’s not the smartest idea to include weapons—toys or otherwise—in costumes. On a night when violent crime is up and tons of people are wearing spooky costumes, it’s best to leave weapons where they belong—with their responsible owners.
- If you want to carry while trick-or-treating with your kids, it would be wise to carry concealed. If you’re handing out candy at home, store your guns safely (either out of sight and reach of children or holstered). As always, make sure you follow state and federal law!
Safety Tips for Adults
- Drive Carefully – Drive slowly and watch for people crossing the street. Avoid distractions like phones or food so you can be ready to stop quickly. (But it’s best to avoid driving after dark on Halloween if you can.)
- Clear the Way – Clear your front steps, driveway, and lawn of any potential safety hazards. If any injuries happen on your property, you could be held liable!
- Leave a Light On – If you leave the house, keep a few visible lights on inside to discourage criminals. However, leave your porch light off to let trick-or-treaters know you aren’t giving out candy!
- Verify Insurance – Are you turning your home into a neighborhood haunted house? Are you charging admission? Make sure to check your local laws and verify your homeowner’s insurance coverage! It could be considered a business activity, and accidents or injuries typically are not covered. (You should also verify your self-defense insurance coverage!)
- Go Flameless – Use electric lights in your jack-o-lanterns and other décor. House fires are one of the more common accidents reported by homeowners on Halloween.
Safety Tips for Pets
- Safely Confine – The sights, sounds, and numerous visitors on Halloween can be overwhelming for pets, and this can cause them to act aggressively or even run away.
- No Candy – Keep the spooky decorations and yummy candy out of reach. If you didn’t already know, chocolate could be lethal to pets!
- Supervised Costumes – Despite what you might see on the internet, pets don’t typically like to be dressed in Halloween costumes. If left unsupervised, they could end up hurting themselves or someone else, or even escape and get lost.
Situational Awareness
There’s nothing wrong with a good scare on Halloween, but you shouldn’t have to fear for your safety or your children’s. One of the best things you can do to help ensure you aren’t the victim of a crime on Halloween is to be situationally aware. What is situational awareness?
- It’s the practice of being observant of your environment and the activities going on around you.
- It means being aware of the groups trick-or-treating near yours.
- It means paying attention to who’s serving you drinks at the costume party or how the drivers around you are driving.
- Situational awareness for a gun owner means always knowing where your firearm is and regularly checking if it’s still secured.
“U.S. LawShield is committed to keeping you safe before, during, and after life-threatening situations,” Hermosa commented. “We help keep our members educated and informed not only on what self-defense rights they have during Halloween activities but also on what rights they don’t have. It also means having proper self-defense training and knowing how to avoid altercations whenever possible, especially on dangerous nights. After all, an educated self-defender is a responsible self-defender.”
Learn more about U.S. LawShield’s top tips for lawfully carrying and staying safe during the Halloween season by visiting www.uslawshield.com/scary-safe-5-tips-for-halloween-safety.
About U.S. LawShield
Since 2009, the mission of U.S. LawShield remains unchanged. We believe in Preserving Freedom for Good™ by educating our 700,000+ members and 6,000+ industry partners in self-defense law; empowering them to handle critical, life-threatening situations with confidence; protecting them from potential injustices in the legal system after acts of self-defense; and challenging the status quo regarding the affordability of legal defense. Our higher purpose is to create a united community of responsible individuals who believe in liberty and the inalienable right of self-defense.
For more information on U.S. LawShield and its Legal Defense for Self Defense Program, visit the website at www.uslawshield.com.
